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WILLIAMS PARKWAY SENIOR PUBLIC SCHOOL 1285 Williams Parkway, Brampton, ON L6S 3J8 Tel: (905) 791-4324

Principal’s Message

We can’t complain too much about the

weather this winter so far other than a few

cold days. Life at Williams Parkway is

heating up with so much going on for kids!

February is Black History Month and we will

recognize this important legacy around our

school in a variety of ways. On Thursday

February 19th, students and staff at Williams

Pkwy will be pausing to honour Black

History at an assembly beginning at 1:00pm.

The atmosphere will be in full swing as we

listen to the steel pan, watch African dancers

and immerse ourselves, as a school

community, in rich culture.

We are becoming very concerned about our

parking lot and driveway in the morning and

after school. All students should be walking

to school unless they travel by bus. Please do

not use our driveway or parking lot to pick up

your child. If you must drive them because

they are injured, please use McKay Street or

Terry Miller Recreation Center to drop them

off. This is becoming a dangerous situation

for students and staff. Thank you for helping

us keep our students safe! Please ensure your

child has warm clothes to be outdoors during

both twenty minute Nutrition Breaks. When

the temperature is colder than -20, the

students are not allowed to be outside.

The teachers at Williams Parkway have been

very busy preparing student report cards,

which will be coming home on Friday

February 6th. Join me in celebrating the

success that your child has accomplished

during the first half of the school year. The

Learning Skills section of the report card is

located on the first page, and is central to

school success in all areas of the curriculum.

Please help your child set goals to improve in

the Learning Skills section of the report card

as well as setting subject-specific goals.

Please be sure to make contact with your

child’s teacher should you have any

questions.

Principal: Ms. O. Masood

Vice-Principal: Ms. T. Phipps

Guidance Counsellor:

Ms. S. Lindahl

School Trustee:

Superintendent of Schools:

Ms. Jan Courtin

School Website: http://schools.peelschools.org/1424

Inside this issue:

Principal's Message 1

Engage Math 2

Numeracy and Beyond 2

Bus Cancellation 3

Offence Declaration 4

Head Lice 5

Jack Smythe Field Centre 6

Identiy Link 6

Adult ESL 7

Skiing & Snowboarding 6

Litterless Lunch 7

Cedar Ridge Camp 8

Calendar 9

FEBRUARY 2015

In January, our Grade 8 students have been

making plans to transition to Secondary

schools. Mrs. Lindahl together with the

Grade team have highlighted many differ-

ent paths to secondary school, including

specialty programs such as Vocational Pro-

grams at Judith Nyman SS, the Regional

Arts Program at Mayfield SS, IBT at North

Park, the IB program at Turner Fenton SS,

the Sci/Tech program at Chinguacousy SS,

the Regional Truck and Coach Program at

Bramalea Secondary School.

In January we also held our Grade 5 Parent

Information Night at Mayfield S.S. for our

highly sought after Regional IBT program.

We have had an overwhelming response

with over 1000 parents and families in

attendance!

Applications for this program are being

accepted on-line at http://www.wpibt.ca/

and are due no later than Friday February

6, 2015. This program is open to all

students who reside north of the 401. The

Regional IBT program at Williams Pkwy

gives opportunities for students to be

innovative, critical thinkers immersed in a

learning environment filled with

technology.

I would like to personally invite you to at-

tend the School Council meeting on

Tuesday February 3rd at 6:30 pm at

Williams Parkway to meet other parents in

our community and to hear about some of

our plans for the remainder of the school

year. Please also enjoy Family day this

year on Monday February 16th. What a

great winter treat to have a little extra time

for family!! Please join me in enjoying

February with our students!

http://www.wpibt.ca/

WILLIAMS PARKWAY SENIOR PUBLIC SCHOOL 1285 Williams Parkway, Brampton, ON L6S 3J8 Tel: (905)

INSPIRE. GREATNESS. TOGETHER

Everyone is a math teacher, parents included

Parents and other adults in our students' lives are important partners in children's mathematics education. By engaging your children in thinking and talking about mathematics, you help support their numeracy success. To help you with this, one great resource is the Ministry of Education's Doing Mathemathics With Your Child. You can find this guide for parents of children in kindergarten to grade online at www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/literacynumeracy/parentGuideNumEn.pdf. For more math tips and tools for parents of kindergarten to grade 12 students, visit ABC 123 at www.edu.gov.on.ca/abc123/eng/tips/ and the Peel District School Board’s Math Help site at www.peelschools.org/parents/helpyourchild/math.

_________________________________________

REGISTER TODAY

Saturday, April 18, 2015 – 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Fletcher’s Meadow Secondary School, Brampton Plan to attend our annual, free conference for Peel District School Board parents on Saturday, April 18, 2015. Take one day to enjoy: a powerful keynote presentation focused on math success

your choice of 60 practical workshops facilitated by Peel board staff

a display area with educational exhibits from local organizations

free lunch, sponsored by Kidssentials, and an opportunity to meet Peel parents

This year, a large number of morning workshops will provide parents with strategies to help

you support math success at home. Flyers are being sent home with Peel students now—

look for yours. Register today at www.peelschools.org/parents/conference.


Bus cancellation & closing schools due to bad weather During the winter months, we may need to cancel buses or close schools because of in-clement weather. Information regarding details of cancellations or closures will be announced on radio and television stations listed below and posted at www.peelschools.org and www.stopr.ca. Information will also be available on Twitter @Peelschools, Facebook at www.facebook.com/peelschools or by calling 905-890-1010 or 1-800-668-1146. VIRGIN RADIO FM99.9 CHUM AM1050 CFTR AM680 CFNY FM102.1/AM640 CJCL AM590 CHFI FM98.1 CFRB AM1010 EZ ROCK FM97.3 CJBC (FR) AM860 FM Z103.5 FM93.1 FM Q107 CHIN FM100.7/AM1540 CBC99.1 CITYPULSE GLOBAL NEWS CTV

One of the following messages will be announced (highlighted text only):

Peel District School Board buses are cancelled. This means that schools remain open for students and staff, but buses are cancelled. Bus cancellations could occur in all or parts of municipalities. Buses will remain cancelled all day. All activities that require busing will also be cancelled. Permits, night school classes, child care and other activities in schools will operate as usual. All Peel District School Board schools and board offices are closed. This means that all schools and Board offices are closed to students and staff. All activities in schools and board offices are also cancelled, including child care, night school and per-mits. All evening programs and permits at the Peel District School Board are cancelled. This means that all activities in schools and Board offices are cancelled, including continu-ing education courses and events. The buildings will be closed. All weekend programs and permits at the Peel District School Board are cancelled. This means that all activities in schools and Board offices are cancelled, including continu-ing education courses and events. The buildings will be closed.

http://www.peelschools.org

http://www.stopr.ca

http://www.facebook.com/peelschools


Offence Declaration required for returning volunteers

Parents play an important role in the development and education of their children and in the success of the school community. At Williams Parkway, we welcome and encourage the participation of parents and community members, and are grateful for the countless hours our volunteers contribute throughout the school year.

To volunteer at our school, you must complete a short interview and a criminal record check. A criminal record check is required for all school volunteers in Ontario. Even if you want to accompany your child on a field trip, you need this record check.

Once you have completed the process, you are on file with the Peel District School Board as being a school volunteer. All returning volunteers will be mailed an Offence Declaration Form that must be filled out and returned to the board office each year. You will not be able to volunteer with the Peel board if you do not return this form. Forms will be mailed home in February.

_____________________________________________________________________

What is head lice?

Head lice are tiny insects that live on the scalp where they lay their eggs. They have three stages: the egg (nit), the nymph and the adult. Head lice do not spread diseases and cannot be spread between animals or pets and humans, only through direct contact between people. Head lice spread easily, especially where people are in close contact. They are very common among school-aged children or children attending child care, where they spread through direct hair-to-hair con-tact or directly by sharing things like hats, combs, hairbrushes or headphones.

One of the first signs of head lice is an itchy scalp. However, children can have head lice for several

weeks with no symptoms. If you think your child has head lice, check their hair for nits right away, then

again after one week and after two weeks.

What to do if your child has lice Parents are advised to keep their child at home until they have been treated for lice. Students may only return to school if they are “nit-free.” If your child has live lice, ensure that they avoid head-to-head con-tact with other children until the lice are gone. Children should not share combs, hairbrushes, caps, hats or hair ornaments. You should also check all family members for head lice. Be sensitive to your child’s feelings and let them know that having head lice does not mean they are not clean. Head lice can be treated with the following approved insecticides:

pyrethrin (found in R&C Shampoo + Conditioner)

permethrin (Nix Creme Rinse or Kwellada-P Creme Rinse)

lindane (Hexit Shampoo or PMS-Lindane Shampoo).


Enjoy the beauty and wonder of nature as spring blossoms. The Jack Smythe Field Centre offers an exceptional family experience with a visit to its Maple Syrup Bush. The March Break programs runs from Wed., March 18, to Sat., March 21, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The Sugar Bush program has been established for more than 15 years and provides families with an educational activity and a hands-on experience. The program is run by Peel District School Board teachers and staff during March Break.

Families are invited to get involved as spring comes to life in the following activities: help tap trees and empty sap buckets sample some freshly made maple syrup hike along our trails and feed the friendly chickadees by hand learn how pioneers collected and produced syrup compared to modern-day operations visit the sugar shack where the sap boils and clouds of sweet smelling steam billow out of

the chimney

The cost is $5/adult and $4/child 12 and under (cash only). Lunch will be available for purchase. It will include: hot chocolate, cookies and hot dogs for you to roast over an open fire.

Directions to Jack Smythe Field Centre, 14592 Winston Churchill Blvd., Terra Cotta: North on Mississauga Road, left on King Street (you will see Credit View Public School on your left), right on Winston Churchill Boulevard (you must pass Terra Cotta Conservation Area on your left) and proceed to the top of the hill and left into the Jack Smythe site.

For more information, please contact the Jack Smythe Field Centre at 1-905-877-7771. ______________________________________________________________________

IDENTITY LINK

All staff and students have been asked to display their identity on a piece of paper in a cre-ative way. Paper bands have been distributed to all homeroom teachers. Please try and uniquely display your identity (what makes you who you are) on that band. As long as you keep your band in that exact rectangular shape, you can be as creative as you like. Bands are to be displayed at our upcoming Black History Month Assembly.

Visit the Maple Sugar Bush at Jack Smythe Field Centre


Register today for Adult ESL non-credit courses

Do you know an adult in Peel that is interested in improving their English language skills for work, study or daily life?

The Peel District School Board offers Adult ESL courses at three locations in Brampton and Mississauga. Winter courses begin February 2, 2015.

To learn more or to register, call 905-270-6000. Registration is ongoing and continues after courses have started.

Bramalea Adult Education Centre 25 Kings Cross Road, Unit 3

Brampton Adult Education Centre #300 - 7700 Hurontario Street

Mississauga Adult Education Centre 100 Elm Drive West, Room 117

To learn more, visit www.peelschools.org/adulteducation.

Twitter: @PDSBLearnESL

____________________________________________________________________________________

SKIING AND SNOWBOARDING TRIP

Over 200 of our WP students have signed up to participate in our skiing/snowboarding

trips to Mansfield Ski Club in February. The response and interest has been

incredible...way to go Panthers! Participating students are reminded that Grade 8s will

attend on February 4th, Grade 7s will attend February 11th, and Grade 6s will

attend on February 18th. All students must arrive at school on time at 8am, check in with

their homeroom teacher and proceed immediately to the gym. It is recommended that stu-

dents bring a lunch and snacks for the day. We hope to depart the school at 8:30am, and

returning at approximately, 5:00pm. Parents who are picking up students are asked NOT

to park in the front of the school in order to allow the bus to enter our driveway. All stu-

dents are required to wear warm winter gear (including mittens/gloves, snow pants, and

warm clothing) and are expected to be on their best behaviour at all times. We are all looking forward to enjoying this exhilarating winter activity together.

http://www.peelschools.org/adulteducation


Grade 6 Litter-Less Lunch Challege!

February 2nd to February 27th

Fun Fact: Did you know that school lunches are a major source of waste in Ontario? The av-erage student’s lunch generates a total of 30 kilograms of waste per school year. That’s an average of 8500 kilograms of waste per school per year, according to the Recycling Council of Ontario. In December Williams Parkway launched its first grade 6 litter-less lunch challenge Eco-Schools initiative. The Eco-Panthers are proud to announce that our first litter-less lunch challenge was a huge success. Thank you to all the grade 6 students who participated. You are making a difference! Class 602 won the December Litter-less Lunch Challenge and were awarded with a pizza lunch. Congratula-tions 602 for packing the most litter-less lunches in the month of December. Beginning February 2

nd all grade 6 classes are encouraged to bring a

litter-less lunch to school. We need your help to make this Eco-Schools initiative successful. Check out the following website for a month of litter-less lunch ideas: http://www.abca.on.ca/downloads/GC_LitterlessLunch.pdf?phpMyAdmin=fa638e549ab1e05917617e02161cad78


Junior Leaders Meet the Challenge of Deep Snow and Cold Weather

From the 26th to 30th of January, 15 members of the Grade Seven Leadership Team were at

Cedar Ridge Camp, near Bancroft, ON. They travelled a great distance so that they could be

immersed in Ontario’s wintery outdoors, and experience all the great opportunities for activi-

ty it provides, while at the same time honing some of their leadership skills through team-

building activities and cooperative games. Some of the highlights included, camp craft, x-

country skiing, snow shoeing, and cooking their own lunch over their own fires during the

Coureur de Bois simulation game. Nothing beats hot chocolate with pieces of twigs,

strained through your teeth. Through the many struggles the students encountered with na-

ture, new activities, and new friendships, they all persevered and came through with winning

spirits and fresh ideas to bring back to their peers at Williams Parkway. Special thanks to

Ms. Lily, who joined us on the trip and successfully calmed the girls down after a spooky

camp story.

Sincerely,

Mr. A. Laidlaw


Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1 2 3

School Council 6-7 pm

4

SKI TRIP

5 6

Term 1 Reports go

home

IBT applications now closed

7

8

9 Final day

to hand in signed

forms and money for

Camp Kilcoo

10 11

SKI TRIP

12 13 14

15 16

No school Family

Day

17 18

SKI TRIP

19

Black History Month

Assembly

20 21

22 23

24 25 26 27 28

FEBRUARY

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